As fashion editors, we get the opportunity to see new collections, styles and trends before anyone else - we feel safe in the knowledge that we are ahead of the game, confident enough to pass judgement on a new season and that we know the tricks needed to pull off a great shoot. But I am always thrown a little off-kilter when I have to deal with menswear.
Menswear has always bothered me. It's hard to get right. It is far more restrictive than womenswear in terms of fabric, shape, structure and form, all key components that make for an exciting fashion shoot. The problem is that what we see in the menswear shows are mostly suits, shirts, jackets and coats - more so than not in varying shades of grey. Not to mention the dress rules that need following. Black tie, white tie, morning suits, dinner suits, dressy casual, casual and business casual: it's exhausting.
There are rules to follow to get the most out of menswear, though. In terms of fabric, take the time to understand quality. Squeeze the fabric; if it bounces back into shape without wrinkling you know you are on the right track. For hot weather, linen, cotton and silk are the best options, but when you can stick to wool or a wool-cashmere mix, do so.
It sounds obvious but always get fitted - your jacket's shoulder pads are supposed to square with your shoulders, and the sleeves shouldn't fall lower than the base of the thumb. When it comes to shirts let's stay away from the scissors, shall we? Short-sleeved shirts are rather iffy.
Always match your belt with your shoes. This is a good rule to follow and it keeps things simple. It's best to stay with traditional colours such a black, dark brown or a rich tan.
Most of the serious rules apply when it comes to black tie - which rather confusingly means the opposite - meaning wearing a tuxedo. Make sure to wear a specialised tuxedo shirt with vertical pleats and French cuffs. And stick to black for a cummerbund - anything else and you're into comedy dress territory. The same goes for cufflinks - keep them simple and subtle.
When it comes to shoes spend as much as you can afford. Good shoes last longer. Invest in a fitted cedar shoe tree that will give your shoes up to three years longer life. Never go for a square toe - opt for a classic round toe. A brown leather brogue will go with most of your wardrobe, and black-leather lace-ups worn with dark grey socks will work for nearly all of your formal occasions.
It's the little details that matter - a brown satchel, an interesting shirt collar, a knitted tie. What men really want is for clothes to big them up, to be on their side: something that is flattering, non-abrasive but (crucially) can still make you look dapper and cool. Sounds ever so simple, doesn't it?
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
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Leaderboard
63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)
64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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HOSTS
T20 WORLD CUP
2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland
ODI WORLD CUP
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh
CHAMPIONS TROPHY
2025: Pakistan; 2029: India